The upper floor window <br />is permanently closed now. <br />As a child once kept vigil <br />of comings and goings of people. <br /> <br />The lawn is covered entirely <br />autumn leaves falling unashamedly. <br />The roof is also covered <br />on seeing all this i feel dejected. <br /> <br />The plants a lady had maintained <br />have disappeared and flowers have since died. <br />Rust covers the door handle and the lock <br />indicating stopping of the time clock. <br /> <br />As I enter the house and peep in <br />dust covered look greets me from within. <br />All the dishes in the kitchen at their usual place <br />steel utensils used by a child to even see his face. <br /> <br />Time here has stood still <br />in other rooms too I get the same feel. <br />Cockroaches and rats have a field day <br />naturally there is no one to drive them away. <br /> <br />The place where family daily gathered. <br />the family area where the parents also prayed. <br />It is now silent like death descends <br />dust on musical instruments seems gathers. <br /> <br />Some clothes still hang on the clothes rack <br />leaving everything all had moved to a different track <br />Earthquake that year had not damaged the house much <br />lives were lost in the stampede aftermath. <br /> <br />The old man and his wife lived alone they said <br />no one came from family for funeral. <br />After the rituals were over <br />the house was locked by a villager. <br /> <br />The neighbour performed the last rites <br />the old couple's children were his friends. <br />Now when I see this sad sight <br /> remembering with sadness I sigh. <br /> <br />Had the son not insisted on seeking fortune in a big city <br />he may have been here to stop this tragedy. <br />If he had wisely stayed to his roots true <br />I would not be telling this sad tale to you <br /> <br />renukakkar 22.9.2011 <br />Copyright@2011.<br /><br />renu kakkar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/house-of-memories/
